4. Members Roles and Conduct

4.2.    The Role of the Mayor

The Mayor is elected by the district as a whole and as one of the Elected Members shares the same responsibilities and must follow the same rules as the other Elected Members of Council.

The Mayor also has the following roles;

• as an advocate on behalf of the community. This role may involve promoting the community and representing its interests;
• as the ceremonial head of Council;
• to provide leadership and feedback to other Elected Members on teamwork and chairmanship of committees;
• as the presiding member at Council meetings, ensuring the orderly conduct of business during meetings (as determined in Standing Orders); and
• as a spokesperson for the Council.  As a consequence the Mayor is often expected to meet with individuals, community groups and sector representatives.

The Mayor also has the following non-delegable powers:

• appointment of the Deputy Mayor;
• establishment of committees and to appoint the chairperson of each committee established;
• leading the development of Council’s plans (including the Long Term Plan and the Annual Plan), policies and budgets for consideration by the Elected Members;
• membership of each committee.